WASHINGTON, DC SHINES FOR SUMMER TRAVELERS

(Washington, DC) – Destination DC (DDC), the official destination marketing organization for the nation’s capital, is pleased to share a selection of new and upcoming experiences in Washington, DC. Summer is the best time to get outside and pair free festivals, grand parks and gardens and Michelin-starred restaurants with DC’s best-known free monuments, memorials and museums. Celebrate Memorial Day, the centennial of the Lincoln Memorial, Independence Day, Juneteenth and much more in DC.

“This summer there are opportunities for in-person events and festivals that we haven’t seen since before the pandemic,” said Elliott L. Ferguson, II, president and CEO of Destination DC. “We are looking forward to celebrating the return of festivals and events like Passport DC, Smithsonian Folklife Festival and Capital Pride. Visitors can find value in DC and expect a great summer experience between more than 100 free things to do, hotel deals and more.”

New Hotels and Hotel Deals:

• citizenM Washington DC NoMa – Opening Summer 2022
  • Situated in the heart of NoMa near the metro and Union Market, the 292-key property is the city’s second citizenM hotel. Staples of the beloved European brand include king-sized beds, MoodPads, HD-TVs with streaming, free Wi-Fi and rain showers. The hotel will have a ground floor restaurant and bar, meeting space and fitness center. The lower level of the property will have 1,000 sq. ft. of bike storage, showers and changing facilities.
• Holiday Inn Express Washington DC Downtown – Opening May 31, 2022
  • Located less than one mile from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and Capital One Arena, the hotel features 247 guest rooms, free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour fitness center and hot breakfast. Meeting space on the top floor offers views of the U.S. Capitol Building and each room is equipped with a microwave, mini-refrigerator, 43" TV and in-room safe.
• The Morrow Hotel Washington, DC Curio Collection by Hilton – Opening September 2022
  • Worldwide brings a Curio Collection hotel to the Armature Works project in NoMa. The mixed-use project will also include over 600 apartments and around 60,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space.
• Capitol Hill Hotel
  • For those visiting DC by car, the Park and Stay Package includes deluxe accommodations, daily parking (a $50 value/night), daily continental breakfast and complimentary Wi-Fi. The Watergate Book three consecutive nights or more and save 30 percent. A three-night minimum stay is required and there is a 48-hour cancellation policy. Use offer Code MKTSSA. The Churchill Hotel Enjoy breakfast for two daily in the restaurant (a $30 value). Breakfast includes pastries, fruit, yogurt, juice and coffee. The stay also includes deluxe accommodations and free Wi-Fi.
• The Watergate
  • Book three consecutive nights or more and save 30 percent. A three-night minimum stay is required and there is a 48-hour cancellation policy. Use offer Code MKTSSA.
• The Churchill Hotel
  • Enjoy breakfast for two daily in the restaurant (a $30 value). Breakfast includes pastries, fruit, yogurt, juice and coffee. The stay also includes deluxe accommodations and free Wi-Fi.

Notable Events:

• Filmfest
  • DC Citywide | April 22 – May 1, 2022
  • The largest and longest-running annual international film festival in DC, Filmfest DC returns with a hybrid combination of in-person and virtual screenings.
• Lincoln Memorial Centennial
  • Lincoln Memorial | May 2022
  • The National Park Service is undertaking a $25 million renovation of the memorial, adding new services and design to enhance the visitor experience. Completion is expected prior to the memorial’s centennial in May and a large in-person community event will take place on May 30.
• Passport DC
  • Citywide | May 1-31, 2022
  • Returning in person, a month of programming across the city highlights DC’s international culture. The Around the World Embassy Tour and European Union Open House are favorites.
• Capital Pride
  • Citywide | June 10-12, 2022
  • DC’s LGBTQ+ community celebrates Pride Month with street festivals, concerts and a parade.
• SOMETHING IN THE WATER
  • Independence Ave. | June 17-19, 2022 
  • Put on by Pharrell Williams, this three-day music festival with three stages will celebrate art, culture and music with performances by some of the hottest names in the industry.
• Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle
  • Pennsylvania Avenue NW | June 25-26, 2022
  • Everyone’s favorite barbecue-flavored event celebrates 30 years in the District.
• Smithsonian Folklife Festival
  • National Mall | Late June
  • A summer tradition, the festival plans to return to the Mall with a focus on the United Arab Emirates and earth optimism.
• Citi Open
  • Rock Creek Park Tennis Center | Aug. 1-7, 2022
  • Tennis pros compete for sets during one of the city’s greatest sporting events.
• DC JazzFest
  • Citywide | Aug. 31 – Sept. 4, 2022
  • The 18th edition of DC JazzFest is a celebration of all things jazz with five days of concerts citywide.

Holiday Weekends:

• Memorial Day
  • The city’s salute to active-duty military and veterans includes the Rolling Thunder motorcycle honor ride (May 29) and the nation’s largest Memorial Day parade (May 30).
• Juneteenth
  • Celebrate the emancipation of enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation on June 19th. There will be a half marathon and 10K, SOMETHING IN THE WATER music festival and more.
• Independence Day
  • America’s birthday celebration kicks off with a classic July 4th parade on followed by “A Capitol Fourth” concert and fireworks on the National Mall.
• Labor Day
  • Savor the last long summer weekend exploring Washington, DC (Sept. 5).

Attractions, Exhibitions, Sporting Events, Museums and Performing Arts:

• Smithsonian
  • Beginning May 30, Smithsonian museums in Washington, DC will be open seven days a week. The National Air and Space Museum is closed until fall of 2022 and the Renwick Gallery opens May 13, 2022.
• Arts and Industries Building – FUTURES
  • Celebrate Playful Futures in May and the Future of Inclusion in June at FUTURES. FUTURES is the first building-wide exploration of the future on the National Mall and is on display through July 6, 2022. FUTURES is your guide to a vast array of interactives, artworks, technologies, and ideas.
• Phillips Collection – Picasso: Painting the Blue Period
  • A groundbreaking exhibition provides new insight into the creative process of Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), before it closes on June 12, 2022.
• Michael R. Klein Theatre at the Lansburgh – Red Velvet
  • Shakespeare Theatre Company stages a riveting tale of a Black American actor who finds himself playing Othello on London’s grandest stage. The show runs June 16 – July 27, 2022.
• Kennedy Center - To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Jeff Daniels stars as Atticus Finch in a spellbinding stage telling of Harper Lee’s classic novel, running June 21 – July 10, 2022.
• Smithsonian American Art Museum - Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass: American Artists and the Magic of Murano
  • Discover Venice’s rich history as a glassmaking capital and its influence on early 20th century art through May 8, 2022.
• National Gallery of Art, West Building - Afro-Atlantic Histories
  • Explore an in-depth look at the historical experiences and cultural formations of Black and African people since the 17th century. More than 130 powerful works of art, including paintings, sculpture, photographs, and time-based media by artists from Africa, Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean, bring these narratives to life through July 17, 2022.
• Hirshhorn – “Infinity Mirrored Room—My Heart Is Dancing into the Universe”
  • An Infinity Mirror Room by Yayoi Kusama, “Infinity Mirrored Room—My Heart Is Dancing into the Universe” debuted in DC late spring and runs through Nov. 27, 2022. The work represents a dynamic continuation of her artistic investigation of space and creates distinctive illusions of a limitless expanse.
• Nationals Park – Washington Nationals
  • DC’s 2019 World Series Champions play in Capitol Riverfront through October 2022.
• Metropolitan Beer Trail – neighborhoods of NoMa, Eckington, and Brookland
  • Launching May 14 and linking seven of DC’s most popular brew pubs and bars, a free digital passport guides a journey to each location. All bars and breweirs are walkable or bikeable from the Metropolitan Branch Trail.
• Audi Field – DC United
  • DC’s MLS team opened the season in late February with games through October 2022.
• The Smithsonian American Art Museum's Renwick Gallery – This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World
  • Marking the 50th anniversary of the Renwick Gallery, the craft show highlights often overlooked histories and contributions of women, people of color and other marginalized communities. The Renwick Gallery reopens May 13, and on May 23, the exhibition opens with nearly 150 artworks from the museum's permanent collection.

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Find the latest health information from the DC government at coronavirus.dc.gov. There are additional coronavirus-related updates on washington.org.

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About Destination DC: Destination DC, the official destination marketing organization for the nation’s capital, is a private, non-profit membership organization of 1,000 businesses committed to marketing the area as a premier global convention, tourism and special events destination with a special emphasis on the arts, cultural and historic communities. washington.org.

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